Shell-fuse



(No Model.)

B. L. ZALINSKI.

ELECTRIC SHELL FUSE No. 313,150. PatentedMar. 3, 1885.

&m\\\\\\m\ WI NESSES: NVEN [1a mm RMWM @wmdzzalwa 4 m Mam ?N1TED STATESATEnirj i Erast s S-H sir-Fossil SPEGEFIGTIQN forming'part oflietterslatent No. 313,150, dated March 3, 1835. v H

- V Application illedDecember 16, (No model) i To 'aZZ whom it maycoiragernr r nBeit known that I, EDMUND L. ZALINSliI,

of the Unitedfit'ates Army, now onvduty at Fort Hamilton, State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shell-Fuses,of which the following is a specification, reference being liad'thereinto iheaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to shell-fuses; and it consists in certainimprovements whereby the fuse may be fired and the shell exploded by theclosing of circuit of a contained electrical firing-battery, or by a;simultaneous action of ClOSlilg-Cii'CUib. and a percussive action,- thusincreasing chances'of successful ignitionof the.

bursting charge. 3

The object of my invention is to make'a fuse which may be attahhedto .ashell, either in" front or rear, or embedded in the explosive charge,which will act with certainty to fire the charge on contact with thetarget or at the expiration of any desired time after leaving the gun.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is acentral longitudinal section of one formof shell-fuse and contained battery. Figs. 2, 3, and 4. are similarviews showing modifications of certain details, as will be hereinafterexplained. Fig. i") represents an electrical tifne and percussion use.

A indicates the fuse tube or casing,of metal, any usual fuse-tube beingadopted, and A a portion of an explosive shell. lnclosed in the tube'isa battery, B, the zinc element b form-' ing the cell and being incontact with tube A,

th'eother element being insulated therefrom, and having a projectingpole, c, with a suitable contact-plate. By the use of proper chemicalsand materials well known in theand thus avoid the retardation ofmovement A contact-' by the intervening air-cushion, piece, d, which maybe of platinum or other metal, isplaced near the front end of tube A,and in theline-of moveinent of the pole 0.

The piece (1 may be on the end of an insulated wire, 6, which iselectrically connected to the high velocity.

penetration into the latter before the explosion;

The impulse of firing vthegun casing through theiusewire bridge l," or:

be otherwise connected bye metallic circuit with said casing. ,Tbeslidiiig) battery-cellB has a rearward extension, g, in Fig. 1,.whioh,

of the fuse-tube as will regulate the distance oftrarel of theslidingcasing, andso in a' measure determinethe time of; explosion (whichoccurs when plates c and dQCOHftG together) after the contact of the,shellwith While this difierence intim-eoi' its target. explosion aftercontact is very minute, it is yet suiiicient to permit a penetrationoi"several inches when a projectileismoving at a This is to secure a degreeof takes place. tears the projections 9 free frornthose in disk f, andcarries the battery B asiar as possible to the rear of the fuse tube.On'strilring the target the battery 13 is throwr violently forward andcircuitclosed through 0 of, causing an incandescence or heating of theplatinum, or a spark, according to the materials used, and thus ignitingthe fuse composition sur rounding or in contact with the bridge-wire,

. and the dash passes through apertures a, as

usual.

In Fig. 2 I have shown the contact-piece d in circuit with the metal licplug a, forming the front of the fuse-tube. The fulrninate in this casemay be in recess K, and a spiral spring, m, prevents closing of circuiton slight contact, as by dropping the fuse. The battery is held in placeby a small lead wire or wooden pin, 0, which breaks on firing the gun.

In Fig; 3 a rubber washer, r, surrounds the contact-piece d, and thepiece 0 mustcoinpress this washer before it can close circuit with d.The piece (1 can be moved out or in by screw 8, to prevent closing ofcircuit alto gether, or to determine the contact force necessary tobring the parts 0 (Z into engagement.

percussion or contact fuse, the battery B may be a; double cell made sothatit will have a complete and distinct battery at each end. The tube Ahas at one end-what isknown as a ,ti 1,,,g -fuse, which may be set toexplode the'shell at any desired-time. This contains also an electricalwire bridge similar tfi the one previously described. The battery isforced backward, the circuit is closed. and the time-fuse is ignitedwhen the gun is, fired. Meanwhile, if the projectile strikes the targetsooner than allowed for'in thetime-fuse, the

battery B flies forward owing to its inertia, and thus the fuse isignited and theshell is exploded, as previouslyexplained, The sameresults for firing thetime-fuse may be obtained by a single battery-celland a suit-able arrangement of wire, but the double form is preferred.

The details of the arrangement'of the time fuse may be the same asordinarily used.

Instead of the battery described, theplunger B may be a form of batteryknown as a secondary battery, with essentiallythe samedevice for causingthe current to pass through the bridge-wire of the fuse.

It will be understood that the battery may be fixed and thecontact-plate movable, thus 3, 5 reversing the position of theparts,without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim 5 1. In combination with an explosive shell, a containedelectric battery therein, and electrical connections from the same incontactwith the fuse-charge.

2 In combination with the casing of a shelltube, a contained electricbattery therein, an electric circuit in contact with the fuse-charge,

and a movable contact-piece which closes circuit when thepmiectilestrikes the target, as

set forth.

3.'Iu a shell-fuse, the combination of peromission-striker and anelectric battery, both contained in the sh ell, and arranged to explodethe fuse-charge when the projectile strikes its target.

4. In a shell fuse, a time-charge, and an electric battery contained-inthe shell, and-are ranged to close circuit and ignite the timecharge onthe firing of the gun.

5. In ashell-fuse, the combination of atimecharge, a percussion-charge,and an electric battery contained in theshell, and arranged to closecircuit through ing charges.

1 6. In an electrical shell-fuse wherein an electric battery iscontained within the shell, the

combination, with the movable pole of the battery, of adjustablemechanism, substantially as described, whereby the movement may be madegreater or less; and the time of explosion aftercontact thus regulated I7. In a shell-fuse, a contained battery therein, and an electric circuitsome portion of which is in contact with the fuse-charge, and a safetydevice which holds the poles of the battery apart against slight.shocks, as-described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDMUN DQL. -ZALINSKI.

1 f Witnesses v S. D. SCHUYLER, G120. F. RI EY.

and ignite the 'explod 6o

